Joel Hall is an eight-year Starbucks partner who says he used to just doodle on the cups now and then, “but about 3 weeks ago I came in on my day off and really put some effort into the designs. I’ve had a great reaction from customers, both regulars and new. Everyone seems to like them and always asks if they are something new with Starbucks. A lot of the time they remark that it looks like they are printed on the cups themselves. I just use a pen and a sharpie to draw them on.”

I think they’re pretty cool. I definitely know that I would be reluctant to hastily toss one of these into the garbage! I would be flattered that I got one of the special cups. It sounds like he’ll drawn on a few cups during his own time, and then randomly surprise and delight a customer with a custom-drawn cup! I bet people do love getting something totally unique!

Joel is a very talented partner for sure and I bet he could also do some great chalkboard art. I like the designs on the cups but am curious if the designs ever melt or come off on your hands. That would not be something that would make me happy.

Joel’s cup art is fantastic. Starbucks should put one of his designs on a ceramic travel tumbler like they’ve done with a couple of other artists. I know if I was the lucky customer that got handed one of his custom drawn cups I’d definitely save it.

Thank you so much for featuring me! It has made my day! For those wondering about whether or not the colors bleed I had similar concerns. By the time I give them out, they are thoroughly dried out. But because it is a paper cup and I use Sharpees for some of it, it does tend to bleed through. So rather than risk getting Sharpee ink mixed in with their coffee, I simply double cup them. That way if they want to keep it, they can have a nice clean cup without any coffee or whip cream in it! Thanks everyone for the kind words

Thanks Joel for the info. It is nice you can be creative and share it with your customers? Have you ever had a customer ask you to draw something on their cup? Also, do you do any chalkboard art at your store?

Yes Purple1, I just recently did a cup for a customer. She asked for one of Yoda for her grandkid. Just gave it to her today. It was on display for a little while until she came in to get it. I have done some of the chalkboard art at my store, but no pictures though. Unfortunately when I do those I don’t have as much time devoted to them. It’s nothing like the one that was featured here on this blog. Those one’s were spectacular.

Joel…you are so talented…make a proposal to Starbucks from them to carry a ‘line’ of your original artwork….As you can see, it could be quite profitable. Starbucks CEO needs to know of the attraction and the partnership that could be forged. Your artistic gift is very very marketable.

I like this idea, but as a former partner of 11 years I can see Starbucks saying that isagainst policy or has sanitary concerns. I still support Starbucks, but unfortunately witnessed the cold, corporate side of the company far too often during my years working there. Best of luck to you Joel! I do like your work!

Joel, they are so well done! Very beautiful work, and you can see the love.

I must say though that I am glad to hear they are the outside of a double cup. As my store’s QASA expert, I was super concerned that they were a huge critical, but since they are treated like a sleeve instead of having the drink inside them, I think they would get the QASA OK.

I think it would be amazing if Starbucks reached out to partners for original artwork to use as part of cup designs. I definitely think customers would get behind that, at least as much as they have for the “big name” artists and design houses that we’ve worked with in the past (Rodarte springs immediately to mind as the most recent).

Joel, do you have a website or a portfolio in addition to your Instagram?

The amount of effort and skill that Joel put into the art on the cups – wow! That would make my day to see something like that at my local Starbucks, though the Baristas near me usually make my day with great, personalized service, food, and drinks.